Friday, February 24, 2017

AN EXCERPT FROM THE ANGLER AND THE OWL BY VIV DREWA

DOC WAS STANDING BY THE RIVER WATCHING THE SUNSET. HE WONDERED HOW A PLACE SO BEAUTIFUL COULD CAUSE SO MUCH FEAR AND PAIN. FRANCE’S ARM STILL HAD HIM WORRIED; THE MUSCLE COULD TEAR MORE AND AN INFECTION WAS STILL POSSIBLE. MIGUEL’S WOUND WAS EVEN MORE CRITICAL AND HE DIDN’T HAVE ENOUGH PENICILLIN TO LAST MORE THEN TWO DAYS. CATHY WILL NEED THERAPY FOR SURE. UNFORTUNATELY, DOC DIDN’T HAVE ANYTHING TO TREAT HER KIND OF SHOCK. ONLY THING HE CAN DO WAS TO TRY TO REASSURE HER THAT EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE OK. THANK GOD NOBODY WAS KILLED.FRANCE COAXED CATHY INTO THE TENT FOR THE NIGHT. CATHY HAD COME TO THE POINT WHERE SHE JUST FOLLOWS WHOMEVER TAKES HER HAND. FRANCE GOT HER TO LIE DOWN AND TOLD HER TO TRY TO GET SOME SLEEP, THEN SHE WENT TO SIT OUTSIDE FOR AWHILE. IT’S NOT QUITE DARK YET; THE SUN’S SINKING AND EVERYTHING WAS QUIET, WELL, EXCEPT FOR THE NOISE FROM THE FOREST, WHICH WAS A LITTLE REASSURING. SHE HOPED THE JAGUAR, OR JAGUARS, WON’T VENTURE NEAR THEIR CAMP AGAIN. SHE HOPED JOHN’S FISHING DIDN’T TAKE TOO LONG. SHE MISSED HIM MORE THAN SHE REALIZED, AND WONDERED IF SHE’LL EVER SEE HIM AGAIN.FRANCE SAT IN A CHAIR AND WRAPS HER ARMS AROUND HERSELF WHICH DOC WILL GET UPSET ABOUT BECAUSE SHE TOOK HER SLING OFF.IT MADE HER REMEMBER WHEN JOHN FIRST PUT HIS ARM AROUND HER. SHE NOT ONLY FELT THE BUTTERFLIES IN HER STOMACH, SHE FELT SAFE. EVEN MORE THAN WHEN THE BOYS FOUND HER YEARS AGO AFTER THAT BEAR ATTACK.AND MIGUEL IS SO CRITICAL, AS DOC PUT IT, AND NEEDED HELP NOW. IT’S SUCH A SHAME HE HAD TO LOSE PART OF HIS LEG. AT LEAST DOC WAS ABLE TO STABILIZE MIGUEL’S LEG, AND WITH HIM CHECKING ON IT AS OFTEN AS HE WAS, MIGUEL MIGHT NOT LOSE THE REST OF IT; OR HIS LIFE. JUST LIKE SHE KNEW DOC CHECKING HER ARM WILL KEEP IT FREE OF INFECTION.FRANCE‘S THOUGHTS WENT BACK TO THINKING ABOUT JOHN. SHE WONDERED WHAT HE’S DOING NOW; WAS HE STILL FISHING OR GETTING READY TO GO TO SLEEP? WAS HE THINKING ABOUT HER? DOC SEEMED TO THINK JOHN WAS ATTRACTED TO HER, BUT SHE DIDN’T SEE IT. SHE ONLY KNEW HOW SHE FELT ABOUT JOHN. FRANCE DECIDED WHEN SHE SEES HIM AGAIN SHE’S GOING TO ASK HIM OUT TO DINNER. NEITHER FRANCE NOR JOHN WERE IN A HURRY TO GET BACK HOME, SO DINNER IN MANAUS?FRANCE HEADED TO THE TENT SHE WAS SHARING WITH CATHY. SHE HAD A SMILE ON HER FACE AND THOUGHTS OF JOHN ENCHANT HER. HE WAS STILL ON HER MIND AS SHE FELL ASLEEP.